Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus

Abstract

Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member including in this order: a support; an undercoat layer, and a photosensitive layer, wherein the undercoat layer comprises at least one kind of polymer selected from the group consisting of: a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following formula (1); and a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following formula (2).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising in this order:
 a support;   an undercoat layer; and   a photosensitive layer,   wherein the undercoat layer comprises at least one kind of polymer selected from the group consisting of: a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following formula (1); and a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following formula (2):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in the formulae (1) and (2), 
         α, β, and γ represent structures represented by the following formulae (α), (β), and (γ), respectively, and 
         R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , R 14 , R 15 , R 16 , R 17 , R 18 , R 21 , R 22 , R 23 , and R 24  each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, a trifluoromethyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted thiol group, a substituted or unsubstituted amino group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in the formulae (α), (β), and (γ), 
         R 60 , R 61 , R 70 , R 71 , R 80 , and R 81  each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, 
         Z a , Z b , and Z c  each independently represent a single bond, an imino group, an oxygen atom, or a sulfur atom, 
         1 a , 1 b , and 1 c  each independently represent an integer of 0 or more, 
         m a  represents an integer of 1 or more, 
         m b  and m c  each independently represent an integer of 0 or more, 
         when Z a  represents a single bond, R 60  represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, 
         when Z a  represents an imino group or a sulfur atom, R 60  represents a hydrogen atom, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, 
         when Z a  represents an oxygen atom, and R 60  represents a hydrogen atom, m a  represents an integer of 2 or more, and 
         when Z a  represents an oxygen atom, and R 60  represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, m a  represents an integer of 1 or more. 
       
     
     
         2 . The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to  claim 1 , wherein a content of the at least one kind of polymer selected from the group consisting of: the polymer having the structural unit represented by the formula (1); and the polymer having the structural unit represented by the formula (2) with respect to a total mass of the undercoat layer is 50 mass % or more. 
     
     
         3 . The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , R 14 , R 15 , R 16 , R 17 , and R 18  in the formula (1), and at least one of R 21 , R 22 , R 23 , and R 24  in the formula (2) each independently represent a halogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, a trifluoromethyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group having 20 or less carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted thiol group having 20 or less carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted amino group having 20 or less carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 20 or less carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group having 20 or less carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 20 or less carbon atoms. 
     
     
         4 . The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of R 60  and R 61  in the formula (α), R 70  and R 71  in the formula (β), and R 80  and R 81  in the formula (γ) represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 20 or less carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 20 or less carbon atoms. 
     
     
         5 . The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to  claim 1 , wherein 1 a  in the formula (α), 1 b  in the formula (β), and 1 c  in the formula (γ) each independently represent an integer of 0 to 10. 
     
     
         6 . The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein m a  in the formula (α) represents an integer of 1 to 40, and   wherein m b  in the formula (β) and m c  in the formula (Y) each independently represent an integer of 0 to 40.   
     
     
         7 . The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to  claim 1 , wherein R 60  in the formula (α) represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 20 or less carbon atoms. 
     
     
         8 . The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein m a  in the formula (α) represents an integer of 2 to 30, and   wherein a sum of m a  in the formula (α), m b  in the formula (β), and m c  in the formula (γ) is 3 to 30.   
     
     
         9 . The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one kind of polymer selected from the group consisting of: the polymer having the structural unit represented by the formula (1); and the polymer having the structural unit represented by the formula (2) has a weight-average molecular weight of 30,000 or less. 
     
     
         10 . The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to  claim 1 , wherein the undercoat layer has a volume resistivity of 1×10 10 Ω·cm or more. 
     
     
         11 . A process cartridge comprising:
 an electrophotographic photosensitive member; and   at least one unit selected from the group consisting of: a charging unit; a developing unit; and a cleaning unit,   the process cartridge integrally supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the at least one unit, and being detachably attachable to an electrophotographic apparatus,   the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising in this order:   a support;   an undercoat layer; and   a photosensitive layer,   wherein the undercoat layer comprises at least one kind of polymer selected from the group consisting of: a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following formula (1); and a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following formula (2):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in the formulae (1) and (2), 
         α, β, and γ represent structures represented by the following formulae (α), (β), and (γ), respectively, and 
         R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , R 14 , R 15 , R 16 , R 17 , R 18 , R 21 , R 22 , R 23 , and R 24  each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, a trifluoromethyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted thiol group, a substituted or unsubstituted amino group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in the formulae (α), (β), and (γ), 
         R 60 , R 61 , R 70 , R 71 , R 80 , and R 81  each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, Z a , Z b , and Z c  each independently represent a single bond, an imino group, an oxygen atom, or a sulfur atom, 
         1 a , 1 b , and 1 c  each independently represent an integer of 0 or more, 
         m a  represents an integer of 1 or more, 
         m b  and m c  each independently represent an integer of 0 or more, 
         when Z a  represents a single bond, R 60  represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, 
         when Z a  represents an imino group or a sulfur atom, R 60  represents a hydrogen atom, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, 
         when Z a  represents an oxygen atom, and R 60  represents a hydrogen atom, m a  represents an integer of 2 or more, and 
         when Z a  represents an oxygen atom, and R 60  represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, m a  represents an integer of 1 or more. 
       
     
     
         12 . An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:
 an electrophotographic photosensitive member;   a charging unit;   an exposing unit;   a developing unit; and   a transfer unit,   the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising in this order:   a support;   an undercoat layer; and   a photosensitive layer,   wherein the undercoat layer comprises at least one kind of polymer selected from the group consisting of: a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following formula (1); and a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following formula (2):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in the formulae (1) and (2), 
         α, β, and γ represent structures represented by the following formulae (α), (β), and (γ), respectively, and 
         R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , R 14 , R 15 , R 16 , R 17 , R 18 , R 21 , R 22 , R 23 , and R 24  each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, a trifluoromethyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted thiol group, a substituted or unsubstituted amino group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in the formulae (α), (β), and (γ), 
         R 60 , R 61 , R 70 , R 71 , R 80 , and R 81  each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, 
         Z a , Z b , and Z c  each independently represent a single bond, an imino group, an oxygen atom, or a sulfur atom, 
         1 a , 1 b , and 1 c  each independently represent an integer of 0 or more, 
         m a  represents an integer of 1 or more, 
         m b  and m c  each independently represent an integer of 0 or more, 
         when Z a  represents a single bond, R 60  represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, 
         when Z a  represents an imino group or a sulfur atom, R 60  represents a hydrogen atom, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, 
         when Z a  represents an oxygen atom, and R 60  represents a hydrogen atom, m a  represents an integer of 2 or more, and 
         when Z a  represents an oxygen atom, and R 60  represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, m a  represents an integer of 1 or more.